What are the symptoms of Crohn’s disease?

Your Crohn's disease symptoms may range from mild to severe. They may develop gradually, or seem to come on without warning. They may even seem to go away (be in remission) for a little while, then return.

With this kind of variability, it’s important to assess your Crohn’s symptoms regularly and share your results with your doctor.

Inflammation can lead to Crohn’s disease symptoms.

Crohn’s disease starts with an abnormal response by your immune system, which causes the inflammation that can lead to Crohn’s symptoms. Your symptoms can be unpredictable and often depend on the extent and severity as well as location of inflammation, which could be anywhere in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract from the mouth to the anus, including the stomach and intestines.

When your Crohn’s disease is active, the signs and symptoms could include:

Abdominal pain.Often cramping and intermittent. The abdomen may be sore when touched. Abdominal pain may feel like a dull, constant ache depending on the location of inflammation

Diarrhea.Some people have diarrhea many times a day and need to wake up at night to go to the bathroom

Fever.A high fever may indicate a complication

Unintended weight loss.Ongoing symptoms, such as vomiting or diarrhea, can lead to substantial weight loss

Communicating with your doctor is key to finding the right treatment for your symptoms.

Getting the right treatment is a partnership between you and your doctor, so let your doctor know about all of the symptoms you are experiencing.

Your doctor will also want to know if you’re using “workarounds” like avoiding social events or always making sure you’re close to a bathroom to manage your moderate to severe Crohn’s symptoms.